Page 21 of In Your Dreams

My heart clenches in my chest, his words hitting me somewhere deep and unexpected. That might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me. It’s certainly the most thoughtful. It’s so… selfless.

“I could be a greedy man. I could say I wish you’d been mine all along. And maybe on some level I feel that way, but I can’t bring myself believe that,” he says.

“You’re right,” I say. “I can’t imagine a life where I don’t have Aiden. I would be a completely different person.” I don’t know who I would be and I don’t want to know. Aiden is my whole reason for being. It doesn’t matter how dark it gets, he’s always the light. It doesn’t matter how hard life gets, he’s always going to be worth it.

“So I don’t want to dwell on the past or what could have been,” he says. “It won’t ever change anything. But, I’m very interested in what’s happening now and what could happen moving forward.”

I swallow a lump in my throat, finding myself very thirsty all of a sudden. No one has ever talked to me this way and I find the entire thing so refreshing. “I’d like that.”

Parker reaches out, lacing his fingers in mine as a smile grows across his lips. It reaches his eyes, wiping the gloom from his face.

“Good,” he says. “Now let me kiss you at the top of the ferris wheel.”

He tugs me toward him, wrapping his arm around my waist as he guides us toward the ride. The sun is down, the last sliver of light fading fast. All the stars are beginning to appear and I find myself perfectly content as we climb into the seat and lower the bar over our laps.

I lean into him as he wraps his left arm around me. He reaches his right over to grasp just above my knee. I place me hand over his, content under his touch.

The ride starts up as we shift forward and stop again to let more people on. This stopping only last a few more minutes and then we’re making it around. We pass over the very top once but as we come back around, the ride seems to slow just a bit. Our seat hovers longer in the top section as Parker turns to me.

He takes his hand from my thigh, moving it up to tilt my chin to him. I close my eyes and welcome his kiss. This one is different. His mouth devours mine, lips smashing hungrily against me. He coaxes my mouth open with his tongue, feverishly lapping like we’re two kids breaking curfew for a few more minutes of this.

His hand reaches the back of my neck, tugging my ponytail downward as his mouth moves to my jaw and then my neck. His hot breath rolls over my skin, causing goosebumps all over my body.

And just like that, he pulls back, straightening himself as he runs his thumb over his mouth. Maybe there were parts ofme laying dormant after the divorce. Maybe I had accepted that I might never feel vibrant again.

But that’s certainly not true anymore. I’m wide awake now. And it’s Parker’s doing.

The ride comes to a stop and it takes me a full five seconds after the bar is lifted to exit the seat. I nearly forget where I am or what I’m supposed to be doing. I don’t know what time it is or how I’m supposed to act normal after that.

“This place will be closing soon,” he says. “Is there anything else you want to do before I take you home?”

I think about it for a moment as we walk, pink teddy bear clutched to my chest.I’ve always done what’s expected of me.My thoughts from earlier echo in my mind.Maybe it’s time to do what makes me feel good.

“I don’t want to go home,” I say firmly.

“No?” He asks.

“Take me somewhere and kiss me like that again.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

PARKER

I pull into the driveway of my house with Poppy’s hand in mine. She held it the entire drive back to town, as we passed the street to her house and drove by the baseball fields and even when I hesitated before turning onto my street. She gave it a little reassuring squeeze.

It’s quiet as I open the door for her, help her out, and walk her to the front door. Not an uncomfortable quiet. It’s wonderfully calm and peaceful.

“So this is my house,” I say, swinging the door open to let her in. Thank god I had the good sense to clean up yesterday. I wouldn’t say I’m totally inept as a man. My house isn’t a total bachelor pad. But I would be lying if I said I was the pinnacle of neat and tidy.

“It’s nice,” she says, placing her purse on a table near the door.

“Can I get you something to drink?” I ask, swallowing hard. I feel a certain amount of jitteriness with Poppy in my personal space. We’re not out in public, we’re not around other people. It’s just me and her and my dimly lit livingroom now.

“What do you have?” She asks.

“Just about everything but alcohol,” I say. I don’t keep it in the house. I don’t care if other people bring it over for social situations but I feel no need to have it here anymore.

“Sweet tea?” She asks.

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